A Sunday Thought About a Jewel in the Treasure Chest
We've all got a key to a fabulous treasure chest. Since the day Our Lord established His Church when He handed St Peter the Keys to the Kingdom and told His Apostles to bring the Good News to the whole world, our Holy Catholic Church has changed the world. In the course of evangelizing the world, many of the common and ordinary things of this world were turned to rich treasures that we can enjoy any time we choose. Sadly, few of us choose to do so anymore.
Much, if not all, of great art, great music and great literature developed as the world turned to Christ's Church - the Holy Catholic Church - over the centuries following His Ascension into Heaven. Yet so many of us Catholics remain ignorant of all this as we bump along the back roads of our busy lives. We prefer the pop culture offered through TV, radio, laptops and iPads. The latest phase of this tawdry lifestyle finds too many of us trolling Facebook-world, typing our text messages, lapping up bits of tweets, or whatever latest "social media" fad commands our efforts and attention.
Here's an example of a pop culture performer who opened that treasure chest to pluck out a jewel. Ironically, her name is Jewel. I don't know if she's Catholic, but she's taken from the treasure chest and produced something beautiful in her own way. Through the wonders of Youtube, I listened to some of Jewel's typical offerings. I admit I wasn't especially taken with her usual pop stuff, but she's obviously talented, blessed with an extraordinary voice.
Singing the Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria" is something usually reserved for opera singers. It's not easy to sing. Give Jewel credit for this effort. And unless you're an opera aficionado who can't get past trying to compare Jewel with someone like Tebaldi or de Los Angeles, I think you're going to like her version of this beautiful song.
I chose a live version. You can find her recorded version on Youtube too. But the live version communicates the depth of the artist's expression. You'll see the slight (maybe more than slight) nervousness as she sings for her audience, a nervousness perhaps born in a spirit of humility, the humility of someone attempting to do justice to an inestimable treasure. I hope you appreciate and enjoy the effort.
Much, if not all, of great art, great music and great literature developed as the world turned to Christ's Church - the Holy Catholic Church - over the centuries following His Ascension into Heaven. Yet so many of us Catholics remain ignorant of all this as we bump along the back roads of our busy lives. We prefer the pop culture offered through TV, radio, laptops and iPads. The latest phase of this tawdry lifestyle finds too many of us trolling Facebook-world, typing our text messages, lapping up bits of tweets, or whatever latest "social media" fad commands our efforts and attention.
Here's an example of a pop culture performer who opened that treasure chest to pluck out a jewel. Ironically, her name is Jewel. I don't know if she's Catholic, but she's taken from the treasure chest and produced something beautiful in her own way. Through the wonders of Youtube, I listened to some of Jewel's typical offerings. I admit I wasn't especially taken with her usual pop stuff, but she's obviously talented, blessed with an extraordinary voice.
Singing the Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria" is something usually reserved for opera singers. It's not easy to sing. Give Jewel credit for this effort. And unless you're an opera aficionado who can't get past trying to compare Jewel with someone like Tebaldi or de Los Angeles, I think you're going to like her version of this beautiful song.
I chose a live version. You can find her recorded version on Youtube too. But the live version communicates the depth of the artist's expression. You'll see the slight (maybe more than slight) nervousness as she sings for her audience, a nervousness perhaps born in a spirit of humility, the humility of someone attempting to do justice to an inestimable treasure. I hope you appreciate and enjoy the effort.
Comments